Department for Transport

Railways: Tourism

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by the Earl of Courtown on 12 January (HL Deb, col 137), whether they will place a copy of the details of the £1 million competition to boost ideas to get more tourists on to the railways and out and about in the UK in the Library of the House, and explain the significance of that competition for rail safety.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Prime Minister has announced a £1 million ‘Rail for Tourism innovation’ competition to call for ideas to transform the travel experience for visitors to the UK and make exploring the UK by rail more attractive to tourists. This is to be run by the Future Railway Programme, which is part of the Rail Safety and Standards Board. Details are being developed. Once published, a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

Level Crossings: Eaglescliffe

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what reasons there are for the recent and proposed closures to road traffic at Allen's West Level Crossing at Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, and what action they plan to take to minimise any future unplanned and planned closures.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Network Rail operates at arm’s-length from the Department for Transport and is not expected to involve Ministers in its regular operational decisions such as its proposals for works at level crossings.

Manchester-Blackpool Railway Line

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether steel produced in Britain will be used for the electrification of the Manchester to Blackpool train route.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The electrification of the Manchester to Blackpool train route is still in the design phase and the steel has not yet been purchased. Network Rail already sources 95% of its steel rail from the UK. Steel for electrification projects has typically been procured by principal contractors from a variety of sources, but Network Rail is currently seeking to aggregate volumes wherever possible and procure materials directly. Total forecast requirement of steel for electrification projects is forecast to be around 175k tonnes over the next 6 years. Network Rail’s strategy is to source this from the UK wherever possible, and the electrification of the Manchester to Blackpool train route will also be in accordance with this.

Railways: South West

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 8 January (HL4766), what is their assessment of the adequacy of railway links between London and South-West England.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The National Infrastructure Commission is not currently undertaking work on railway links between London and South West England. Network Rail assessed the adequacy of the rail links between London and the South West as part of the rail industry’s Long Term Planning Process. The Western & Wessex Route Studies form part of this process and develop options for future services and for investment in the rail network up to 2043.The options set out in the Route Studies are based on a regional and route based interpretation of the outputs and demand forecasts from previous market studies.

Ministry of Defence

Astute Class Submarines

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 8 December 2015 (HL4047 and HL4049) and on 19 January (HL4886 and HL4885), what assessment they have made of the costs of the reduction of build time of ASTUTEs.

Earl Howe: The three Astute-Class submarines that have been handed over to the Royal Navy (HMS Astute, HMS Ambush and HMS Artful) were procured as a batch, so it is not possible to give an accurate assessment of the cost variation between these boats.The National Audit Office's Major Projects Report for 2015 provides the manufacturing cost for all Astute submarines and, for Boats 4-7, explains the variation between each boat.

Aircraft Carriers: Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales will operate east of Suez without a F35B Sea Lightning squadron embarked.

Earl Howe: Locations for the employment of the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers will be directed by the Strategic HQ, reflecting national priorities. When deployed in the Carrier Strike or Littoral Manoeuvre roles, the composition and size of the embarked air group will be tailored to meet the required task.The noble Lord will wish to be aware that 'F-35B Lightning II' is the designation jointly agreed by the First Sea Lord and the Chief of the Air Staff.

Aircraft Carriers: Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of the days at sea by HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales post commissioning will be without F35B Sea Lightning squadrons embarked.

Earl Howe: Post commissioning, when deployed in the Carrier Strike or Littoral Manoeuvre role, the composition and size of the embarked air group will be tailored to meet the required task.The noble Lord will wish to be aware that 'F-35B Lightning II' is the designation jointly agreed by the First Sea Lord and the Chief of the Air Staff.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Deech: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Palestinian Authority concerning incitement to violence in the light of the Palestinian Ministry of Health referring to Nashat Milhem as "one of the dearest martyrs".

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Our Consul-General in Jerusalem met the Palestinian Minister of Health on 21 January and strongly condemned the language used in the statement.

EU Integration

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the statement made by the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, advocating further EU integration, including the creation of an EU defence capability.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The EU already has a range of capabilities to build and promote security, which can be complementary to those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The UK is working to make these more effective and to improve NATO/EU co-operation. But the Government has consistently made clear that we will oppose any measures which would undermine Member States' competence for their own military forces or lead to competition and duplication with NATO. Complementarity with NATO is a principle that was reinforced by the European Councils on defence in June 2015 and December 2013.

Iraq: Minority Groups

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why no safe haven has been established for Yazidis and Assyrian Christians, Mandaeans, and Shabaks; when they last raised the failure to make such provision with their international partners; and what assistance they have given to those minorities to better provide for their self-defence.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government agrees that there is an urgent need to protect civilians in Syria and Iraq. However, for safe zones to be effective they must be truly safe. That would require an international mandate and a significant commitment of boots on the ground. Turkey has promoted the idea of safe havens along the border in northern Syria. However, all such previous proposals have foundered on the question of who will provide the defensive air cover, given the presence of a very sophisticated Syrian air defence system, and now the presence of Russian air-to-air offensive capability in the area. The priority remains an end to the violence and full, unhindered access for humanitarian agencies, so civilians can escape the fighting and aid can get through to save lives in the worst affected areas. Britain continues to lead the way in helping those suffering from the humanitarian crisis. The best way of safeguarding minority rights in the region is by defeating Daesh and establishing peace and stability in the region. The UK has been at the forefront of these efforts. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), set out the Government’s comprehensive strategy for dealing with Daesh and the conflict in Syria in his response to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 26 November 2015.

Yazidis: Females

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking on behalf of enslaved Yazidi women who have been sold on to other Islamic countries; what assessment they have made of the countries to which such women have been transported; and what plans they have to help recover those women from those countries, in particular Turkey.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: In the last few years, the UK has led the world on tackling sexual violence in conflict, working with international partners such as the UN, EU and Red Cross. In the Middle East, we are supporting vulnerable women and girls through our role in the international humanitarian relief effort. The more than £1.1 billion we are providing in response to these crises is the UK’s largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis.Turkey makes a critical contribution to the international campaign against Daesh as a key member of the Global Coalition, including by co-chairing the Coalition’s Foreign Terrorist Fighters working group. It continues to take steps to tackle smuggling into and out of Daesh-controlled territory across its border with Syria.Ultimately, the only way to protect civilians, including Yazidi women, from Daesh is by defeating this terrible organisation, which in turn requires, amongst other things, ending the conflict in Syria. The UK has been at the forefront of these efforts. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), set out the Government’s comprehensive strategy for dealing with Daesh and the conflict in Syria in his response to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 26 November 2015.

North Korea: Nuclear Weapons

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the consequences for the proliferation of nuclear weapons of the underground test of a nuclear device by North Korea on 6 January.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK strongly condemns the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 6 January, in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolutions and international norms. This provocation endangers regional and international security. We are currently working with other UN Security Council members on further measures in a new Resolution, while continuing to urge the rigorous implementation of sanctions by the international community.

Turkey: Kurds

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent deaths of Kurdish men and youths in Van and other parts of south-east Turkey since 1 January; and whether they have made representations to the government of Turkey about that matter.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The ongoing violence in the predominantly Kurdish areas of south east Turkey, including Van, is extremely concerning. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues to kill members of the Turkish police service and security forces in violent terrorist attacks. We believe Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK, whose attacks we condemn as we condemn all terrorism. Our thoughts are with the victims of these attacks, and the civilians who have been caught up in the violence. We have been clear, in public and private, that PKK violence must end and we support a return to the peace process, in the interests of Turkey and the region. We stand ready to help in any way we can. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and our Ambassador to Turkey have emphasised the need to respect human rights and the importance of avoiding civilian casualties to the Government of Turkey.

Turkey: Kurds

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the ability of Kurds in south-east Turkey to live in secular, democratic and gender-equal communities.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Turkish government recognises promoting gender equality and preventing violence against women amongst the range of human rights issues it is committed to addressing. Prime Minister Davutoğlu spoke publicly on 9 December about the importance his government attaches to these issues. We have welcomed the previous measures taken by the Turkish government, such as the 2013 “democratisation package”, to improve rights for minority groups in Turkey and to resolve the Kurdish issue through the peace process but, as the EU's Annual Progress Report highlights, there is more progress to be made. We want the peace process to be resumed, building on previous progress.

Iraq: Armed Conflict

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been their contribution to the current battle for Ramadi; what is their estimate of the resident population of Ramadi in (1) 2004, (2) 2009, (3) 2015, and (4) now; what is their assessment of where the people who have left that city are now living; and what contribution they are making to the support and help for these displaced people.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Royal Air Force’s close air support operations continue to play a key role in the Coalition’s support to the Iraqi Security Force’s in the battle for Ramadi. A lack of official data in Iraq makes population estimates unreliable. The best population estimates we have for Ramadi are 455,000 in 2004 and 376,000 in 2011. The planning figure used by the UN Development Programme stabilisation work is 500,000. The majority of the population of Ramadi had already left when Daesh entered the city, with most fleeing to host communities or camps. The UN estimated the residual population of the city at approximately 12,000-15,000 people. The UK has provided £79.5million in humanitarian support across Iraq since June 2014. The UK is the biggest donor to the UN emergency pooled funding mechanism and provides support through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other international bodies for those displaced.

Iraq: Armed Conflict

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of (1) the percentage of the buildings in Ramadi that are (a) unharmed by the violence in Iraq, (b) damaged, but still usable, and (c) damaged or destroyed to the extent that they are no longer usable; and (2) the proportion of the housing in Ramadi that is no longer habitable by modern standards.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UN and other agencies have not yet been able to undertake an assessment of damage to buildings and infrastructure in Ramadi as a result of the remaining threat from Daesh and improvised explosive devices inside the city. The most recent analysis by the UN Operational Satellite Applications Programme, published online by the UN Institute for Training and Research, indicates that between July 2014 and 19 December 2015 some 4,696 buildings have been damaged inside the city.

COE Parliamentary Assembly

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government who are the members and the associate members of the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and to which UK political party each belongs.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) was announced by the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), in a Written Ministerial Statement on 3 November 2015. [HCWS287]A list of full and alternate UK members of PACE, as well as their party affiliations and European political groupings, is as follows:FULL MEMBERSSir Roger Gale MP (Leader) ConTasmina Ahmed-Sheikh MP OBE SNPLord Anderson of Swansea LabGuto Bebb MP ConDavid Crausby MP LabGeraint Davies MP LabRt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson MP DUPEarl of Dundee ConBaroness Eccles of Moulton ConNigel Evans MP ConJohn Howell MP OBE ConIan Liddell-Grainger MP ConSir Alan Meale MP LabKate Osamor MP LabLord Prescott LabMark Pritchard MP ConChristina Rees MP LabRt Hon Alex Salmond MP SNPALTERNATE MEMBERSLord Balfe ConRt Hon Lord Blencathra ConRt Hon Liam Byrne MP LabDavid T C Davies MP ConBaroness Eaton DBE ConSuella Fernandes MP ConRt Hon Lord Foulkes of Cumnock LabKhalid Mahmood MP LabBaroness Massey of Darwen LabHuw Merriman MP ConBaroness O'Loan DBE CBMary Robinson MP ConPaul Scully MP ConVirendra Sharma MP LabPaula Sherriff MP LabKelly Tolhurst MP ConPhil Wilson MP LabMike Wood MP Con

Gaza: Energy Supply

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any restrictions on the supply of gas or electricity to Gaza, and if so, what representations have been made to the government of Israel by them or the EU on behalf of its member states.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Less than 50 percent of Gaza’s basic electricity needs are currently being met. This is a result of the limited capacity of the existing power lines from Israel (providing approximately 120 Mega Watts (MW) at present) and Egypt (approximately 32 MW), and of the Gaza power plant (60 MW). The plant is not run at full capacity because of damage sustained in past conflicts and restrictions on the amount of diesel allowed into Gaza. Officials at our embassy in Tel Aviv regularly urge the Israeli authorities to ease restrictions on Gaza and to facilitate improvements in electricity infrastructure. On 10 September, during Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu’s visit to the UK, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), emphasised the need for Israel to do more to improve conditions in Gaza. They discussed electricity, as well as water and exports.

Cyprus: Politics and Government

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to ceasing to be a guarantor power in Cyprus to facilitate a political settlement on the island.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK is prepared to consider whatever arrangements the two communities can agree upon to meet the security needs of a reunited Cyprus as part of a settlement. We remain strongly supportive of the efforts of President Anastasiades and Mr Akinci to seize this opportunity to secure a historic agreement.

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the legal opinion recently commissioned by Amnesty International and Saferworld, which claims that they are breaking the law by supplying arms to Saudi

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of this legal opinion provided on instructions from certain non-governmental organisations. We are also aware of our legal obligations as regards the licensing of arms for export to Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent arms export control regimes in the world. All arms export licence applications are carefully assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking intoaccountall relevant information, to ensure compliance with our legal obligations, including under international law. A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the mandatory Criteria. This includes the export of arms to Saudi Arabia. The Government is satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the UK’s export licensing criteria.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of claims that Saudi Arabia has bombed several hospitals in Yemen, including Médecins Sans Frontières clinics.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of recent allegations regarding an attack on a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Sa’ada province on 10 January. We are also aware of reports of alleged attacks against a MSF hospital in Sa’ada on 26 October and on a MSF unit in Taiz on 2 December. We welcome the public announcement by Saudi Arabia to establish a fact finding committee into the alleged airstrike on the MSF mobile clinic in Taiz. It is important that Saudi Arabia conducts thorough and conclusive investigation into incidents that have raised concerns.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to protect women and girls from sexual violence when fleeing conflict zones.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK is committed to protecting women and girls - as well as men and boys - from sexual violence in conflict. The Government’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative (PSVI), launched in 2012, has raised awareness, rallied global action and increased the political will and capacity of states to do more to: (i) address the culture of impunity that exists for these crimes, (ii) increase the number of perpetrators held to account, and (iii) ensure better support for survivors. Since its launch we have carried out 60 deployments by the UK Team of PSVI Experts to support survivors and strengthen investigations and increase prosecutions; supported around 50 projects with non-governmental organisations working to end sexual violence and help survivors in a range of conflict-affected countries; launched and provided training on the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict to improve evidence gathering and strengthen the prosecution of sexual violence; and provided training on sexual violence issues to African peacekeeping military and police personnel, to members of the Malian Army and Peshmerga troops in Iraq.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Apprentices

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made with their adult apprenticeship schemes.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Final data show that there were 499,900 apprenticeship starts in the 2014/15 academic year. 374,000 of these were aged 19+, an increase of 16.6% on 2013/14.We have delivered 2.6 million apprenticeships starts since May 2010, 73% (1.9 million) of these were adults (aged 19+). We are committed to reaching 3 million new apprenticeship starts in England by 2020. Our 2020 Vision for English Apprenticeships sets out how we will increase apprenticeships numbers for people of all ages - working with employers and setting new expectations for public sector procurement. Apprenticeship reforms are being led by employers designing standards to meet their skill needs. Over 1300 employers are currently involved. 198 new standards have been published and more 150 are in development (including 60 Higher or Degree level). More Degree Apprenticeships are being developed, combining a high quality degree with an apprenticeship. Through the UK-wide apprenticeships levy, we are also giving employers control over funding apprenticeship training in England. We are establishing an independent employer-led Institute for Apprenticeships to regulate the quality of apprenticeships in England which will be fully operational by April 2017. We are doubling the annual level of spending on apprenticeships between 2010-11 and 2019-20 in cash terms to £2.5bn, including income from the new apprenticeship levy.

Basic Skills

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what resources and schemes are being targeted at those who lack the basic levels of literacy and numeracy.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: This Government understands the importance of English and maths and makes these subjects a priority for support within the adult skills system. Adults who improve their literacy and numeracy are more likely to experience better health and well-being, increase their chances of employment and progress to better jobs.We fully fund, through a statutory entitlement, all adults to achieve their first English and maths GCSE at grade C or above as well as other qualifications which help them get to that level. The total funding for English and maths for academic year 2013/14 (including for apprenticeships, English for Speakers of Other Languages and prisoners) was £563,961,000. Of this £142m was spent on English and maths in apprenticeships. (905,600 learners participated in English and maths courses in 2013/14)We fund a wide range of learners to study English and maths including:• Prisoners, through the Offender Learning and Skills Service• Learners in the community, including through Family English, Maths and Language• People who need English for Speakers of Other Languages • Trainees as part of their traineeship• Apprentices as part of their apprenticeship• JobseekersWe have increased our expectations of what learners should achieve in order to increase the standard of literacy and numeracy. To do this we have embedded English and maths at the heart of all our major programmes. This means:• Learners who did not achieve a good GCSE pass in English and/ or maths by the age of 16 are now required to continue to study those subjects post-16; • Since 2014/15, the English and maths requirement for Intermediate Apprenticeships has been stronger, with all apprentices who have already achieved level 1 English and maths having to work towards level 2;• Since 2014/15, young people undertaking a traineeship have been required to study English and maths unless they already have level 2 qualifications in these subjects;• In August 2014, we introduced mandatory assessment of maths and English for all newly-received prisoners to ensure that all offenders, not just those that go into learning, receive a learning assessment (focused around English and maths, but also covering learning difficulties and disabilities)We have reformed GCSEs to ensure they are more stretching and provide greater assurance of core literacy and numeracy than the old GCSEs. We also recognise that some people are not ready to take GCSE so we are also improving the rigour and relevance of English and maths Functional Skills qualifications, which are taken by many students and apprentices aged 16 and over. We have commissioned the Education and Training Foundation to revise the National Literacy and Numeracy Standards and reform Functional Skills. The foundation has launched a consultation which will run until April and which will involve employers, teacher and subject experts.We recognise the need to improve the quality of English and maths teaching in further education. We have invested over £30m over the past 3 years to fund a range of measures to improve the workforce in areas such as leadership, governance, teaching and learning, with a particular focus on maths and English. This has resulted in over 1,000 bursaries to attract graduates to teach in further education and over 3,800 teachers have benefited from training to improve the quality of their English and maths courses. We are undertaking a range of research to best understand where Government investment in English and maths has the greatest impact and delivers value for money. This includes:• Using behavioural insights to identify how to motivate adults to improve their English and maths and encourage learners to keep studying once enrolled on a course; ;• Longitudinal research into skills gain and skills atrophy of adult English and maths learners• Comparing the impact of blended and more traditional classroom learning.

Students: Loans

Lord Sharkey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of Muslim students who have been unable to progress to higher education because their religious principles do not permit them to take out an interest-bearing student loan.

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: The Government consulted in April 2014 on an Alternative Finance product that could be offered to students alongside traditional loans. 20,000 responses were received with 94 per cent believing there is a demand for Alternative Finance. The Government is working on the development of a Takaful Alternative Finance product and as part of this will be working with the Muslim community and others to understand the likely take-up of the product.

Department for International Development

Developing Countries: Sanitation

Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the Department for International Development’s spending currently goes towards water, sanitation and hygiene programmes.

Baroness Verma: Expenditure by sector is reported in Statistics on International Development which I have attached for your convenience.In 2014, UK bilateral expenditure on water supply and sanitation was £180.8 million. This was 2.6% of the UK’s total bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA).When DFID or other UK government departments provide core contributions in support of multilateral organisations, we do not break down by sector. However, there are a number of multilateral organisations that are focussed on water and sanitation. Details of the contributions from DFID to each multilateral organisation can be found at Table A8 of the attachment.



Statistics on Intenrational Development 
(PDF Document, 2.86 MB)

Developing Countries: Sanitation

Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures the Department for International Development is taking to reach rural communities with water, sanitation and hygiene programmes, as well as urban ones.

Baroness Verma: DFID reached over 62 million people with water, sanitation and/or hygiene in the five years to 2014/15. Approximately 90% of these results were delivered in rural communities.DFID supports large programmes focussed on basic rural water and sanitation services for the poor. These include programmes with the governments of Ethiopia and Mozambique and a programme implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and WaterAid in Nigeria.Through partnerships with organisations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), DFID is supporting the water and sanitation sector in developing better and faster ways of delivering improved urban water and sanitation services in unserved slums and low income communities in towns and cities.

Department for Education

Offences against Children

Lord Soley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they collect any statistics on the number of children being educated at home who are the subject of abuse inquiries, or where the parents or guardian have been convicted of abuse; and whether they will publish any such statistics.

Lord Soley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they collect any statistics on the number of children who have been attending unregistered schools who are alleged to have suffered abuse; and whether they will publish any such statistics.

Lord Nash: The Department does not hold any data on the number of children who are the subject of abuse inquiries, whose parents or guardians have been convicted of abuse, or who are alleged to have suffered abuse. We are taking steps to ensure that the education system is as robust as it can be when it comes to protecting young people. It is unacceptable for any child of compulsory school age not to receive a suitable education. Local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that this does not happen.The Department has taken robust steps to tackle unregistered schools. We are working closely with Ofsted who have agreed to take forward prosecutions for settings operating illegally as unregistered independent schools. We have also published proposals to introduce a new system to regulate out-of-school education settings which teach children intensively, and to intervene and impose sanctions where there are safety or welfare concerns. The call for evidence on out-of-school education settings closed on 11 January 2016 and responses are being analysed.

Equal Pay

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 7 December 2015 (HL3817), what assessment they have made of the fact that, in relation to men and women under 35-years of age, the pay gap is in favour of women.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: This Government is committed to ending the gender pay gap. New figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that the gender pay gap in the UK remains the lowest on record. The pay gap for women under the age of 40, working full time, is particularly low. The gap is -0.8% for women working full-time aged 22-29 and 0.6% for women working full-time aged 30-39.As well as revising statutory guidance for schools on careers to raise young women’s aspirations, we have established a new Careers and Enterprise Company to encourage greater collaboration between employers and schools to inspire young people and supported the ‘Your Life’ campaign to encourage more young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths.

Ministry of Justice

Freedom of Expression

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will undertake a review of extant legislation that could be undermining the principle of free speech in the UK or rendering it conditional in some circumstances.

Lord Faulks: As set out in my answer of 20 July 2015 (HL1111), currently, there are no plans to review extant Acts of Parliament to ensure that the right of freedom of expression is not being restricted.The Government will be bringing forward proposals for a Bill of Rights to protect fundamental human rights, but also prevent their abuse and restore some common sense to the system.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Sports: Betting

Lord Chadlington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice exempts sports betting around televised sporting events from the 9pm television watershed.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Televised gambling advertising in the UK is governed by the Advertising Codes which are maintained by the Broadcast Committee for Advertising Practice. This is supplemented by a self-regulatory industry code, the Industry Code for Socially Responsible Gambling. An enhanced version of the industry code will come into effect in February 2016. New measures include a commitment that gambling operators will no longer advertise sign-up offers on television before 9pm.

USA: Data Protection

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the consequences that would follow if negotiations between the EU and the USA on the renewal of the Safe Harbour agreement on data transfers fail.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: I remain hopeful that the EU and US will come to an agreement on a replacement for safe harbor. If not, data transfers to the US will need to be based on an alternative method of transfer. I visited Washington at the beginning of January where I discussed what this Government could do to aid discussions between the Commission and US. Since this visit, I hosted a roundtable together with the Information Commissioner’s Office where we provided business and other interested organisations with an update on the discussions. The Government continues to urge both sides in these negotiations to reach a swift conclusion. Commissioner Jourova recently said that she believed an agreement was possible and the Committee comprising the data protection authorities of all 28 member states will meet to review the position on 2 February. In the meantime the Commission issued a communication on 6 November 2015 regarding international transfers. This is based on guidance from the Article 29 Working Party which is the grouping of the European data protection authorities. The Information Commissioner's Office has also issued guidance on the use of alternative methods of data transfer between the EU and US.

Public Records

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 13 January (HL4703 and HL4074), by what means they give public access to the grounds for retention linked to retention instruments in order to explain which official records are being withheld from transfer to the National Archives and why.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: I refer the noble Lord to the responses to HL4703 and HL4704. The attached Access to Public Records Manual is published by The National Archives and sets out the grounds for retention.



access to public records 
(PDF Document, 288.16 KB)

BBC: Royal Charters

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ensure that the BBC Charter is debated by both House of Parliament before it is brought into effect.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: I will ensure that there is an opportunity for the BBC Charter to be debated by both Houses of Parliament before it is brought into effect.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bees: Conservation

Lord Whitty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are undertaking, both nationally and internationally, to reverse the global decline in the bee population.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government is committed to supporting pollinators, including bees, through the National Pollinator Strategy for England. This is an exciting 10 year plan, with comprehensive action to protect pollinators on farmland and across towns, cities and the countryside. In November 2015 Defra published an implementation plan highlighting significant progress in the first year of the strategy, delivered through collaboration between government and non-government partners. This includes £900 million Defra has made available for the new Countryside Stewardship scheme, launched in July 2015. For the first time ever this contains dedicated management options for pollinators as part of the Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package. We have been working to raise public awareness and engagement, holding the first Pollinator Awareness Week in July 2015. This promotes our Bees’ Needs Call to Action, setting out simple actions that any individual or business can take to provide food and shelter for pollinators. Internationally, Defra hosted two successful events on pollinators at the Milan Expo in July 2015, and following this is working with academics to explore opportunities to build on the innovative work the UK is doing for bees. The UK is also an active member of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), with UK experts contributing to the IPBES assessment of the state of knowledge on pollinators, the reasons for their decline and the policy options to protect them. The final report of this assessment will be considered and approved by Governments at the 4th IPBES Plenary Meeting in February 2016.

Air Pollution

Lord Whitty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the effect of the reduction of the budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on activity and staffing in relation to air quality.

Lord Whitty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the effect of the reduction of the budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on staffing, and scientific expenditure and activity, at Kew Gardens.

Lord Whitty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the effect of the reduction of the budget of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the veterinary service and research on animal disease.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Budgets for 2016/17 to 2020/21 have not yet been finalised. Defra’s internal business planning process is still underway, and it would not, therefore, be appropriate at this time to comment on how particular policy areas may be affected.

Pigs

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is being done to support British pig farmers who are affected by Russia’s ban on European food imports and cheap imports into the UK.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: I recognise that many UK pig producers are struggling with a very tough period of low prices. The Government is providing support through our reforms to tax averaging. We also supported the activation of private storage aid on 4 January to remove pigmeat temporarily from the EU market. We are working with the industry to open up new market opportunities at home and abroad. China offers huge potential for the future of the food and farming industry. Since 2010, British food and drink exports to China have more than doubled to £280 million, the fastest-growing of which are dairy products, pork, beer and tea. 2016 will be the Year of GREAT British Food, opening a long-term campaign of trade missions and events in the UK that showcase British products and help farm businesses to grow and thrive.Defra secured a deal in principle for trade in trotters during the Secretary of State's recent visit to China and the underpinning detailed arrangements are being finalised.

Squirrels: Pest Control

Lord Inglewood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Forestry Commission refuses to allow the use of air rifles by experienced, trained, and insured volunteers as part of an integrated programme for grey squirrel control.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Landowners are free to choose any legal method to control grey squirrels on their own land and to choose the methods they believe to be most effective and appropriate in any location. However, Forestry Commission England currently considers that free shooting has limited effectiveness in controlling grey squirrel populations, with better, more effective methods often available. In addition, the majority of the public forest estate has unrestricted public access and public safety is of paramount importance. For these reasons the Commission does not allow the shooting of grey squirrels by volunteers on its land. Volunteers are, nevertheless, an essential part of controlling grey squirrels and control methodologies continue to be developed and evaluated against the criteria of efficacy, safety and animal welfare. The Commission is additionally encouraging improvements to other methods of control including trapping, as well as assessing the findings of a recent study from Ireland which suggested that an increased pine marten population may result in a reduced grey squirrel population. The Commission is seriously concerned about the negative impact of grey squirrel populations on woodland and specifically on native woodland. The Government is committed to pursuing co-ordinated action at a national level and in conjunction with partners through the Squirrel Accord, to which both Defra and Forestry Commission England are signatories. Work is continuing to improve the effectiveness of control methods; the structure of grants has been changed to support grey squirrel control and substantial work continues with partners to support our red squirrel populations, including through the control of grey squirrels. The Commission is open to further engagement with national and local organisations as well as landowners sharing our commitment to grey squirrel control for the protection of woodland and red squirrel populations.

Paint

Baroness Redfern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that departments assist projects such as the British Coatings Federation’s PaintCare project.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government welcomes the PaintCare initiative and is working constructively with the British Coating Federation in relation to several aspects of the project. This includes identifying potential regulatory barriers to the recycling and re-manufacturing of paint and how these might be overcome, as well as providing opportunities to raise awareness of the potential benefits of PaintCare, for example at the G7 Alliance for Resource Efficiency conference in Berlin last October.My Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), spoke at the Parliamentary launch of PaintCare’s interim report in November. The Waste and Resources Action Programme has also been working with PaintCare to provide information to consumers on how to recycle and dispose of household paint, through the Recycle Now campaign.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Circle Housing

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 8 December 2015 (HL4002), whether they will instruct the Social Housing Regulator to require a report from Circle Housing Group on the performance of Old Ford Housing Association’s gas safety and repairs and maintenance contractor since the governance rating downgrade in February 2015.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Social Housing Regulator is statutorily independent. The Department for Communities and Local Government cannot therefore direct the Regulator on this matter.The Social Housing Regulator has a clear regulatory framework which it applied in this case. As is normal practice the Social Housing Regulator is working closely with Circle as it recovers the urgent and emergency repairs service provided to Old Ford’s tenants and improves its governance. The Regulator currently has sufficient assurance of Circle’s plans to address the issues and its progress in doing so, such that the Regulator considers it does not need to use its enforcement powers at this point. The Regulator will of course continue to examine new information that comes to light.

HM Treasury

Government Departments: Cheques

Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many cheques were issued by each government department, including their agencies and public bodies, in (1) 2015, (2) 2014, (3) 2013, and (4) 2012, and what was the value of those cheques.

Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what postage type was used by government departments, including their agencies and public bodies, to issue cheques in (1) 2015, (2) 2014, (3) 2013, and (4) 2012.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The information requested is not held centrally. The Government Banking Service is a provider of banking services across Government, but each Government Department is responsible for setting its own policy in regards to making payments by cheque. Further details are set out in the publication, “Managing Public Money” which is available on Gov.uk.

Tax Avoidance

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures exist, or are planned, to ensure that audit and accountancy firms accused of devising unlawful tax-avoidance schemes are investigated and censured, where appropriate.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: In the March 2015 Budget, the Government challenged the accountancy and tax professional bodies to improve how they deal with their members who promote tax-avoidance schemes. The professional bodies have responded positively to this challenge and are working with HM Revenue and Customs to agree a new standard with which their members will need to adhere to.

Debts: Advisory Services

Lord Tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Financial Conduct Authority’s thematic review Quality of debt management advice.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Government is concerned about problems in the debt management market, including the quality of advice which was highlighted by the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) thematic review. This is why we reformed debt management regulation, transferring responsibility to the FCA’s more robust regime to better protect consumers. The FCA has put in place binding standards on firms and has a strong enforcement toolkit to take action against firms if these rules are broken. The FCA is currently scrutinising debt management firms as part of its authorisation process. Firms which do not meet the required standards will not be able to continue to provide debt management services.

Debts: Advisory Services

Lord Tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) how many people have sought debt management advice in each year since 2010, and (2) how many of those were already in debt.

Lord Tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which debt management advice takes into account non-financial circumstances of an individual client, and what guidance they issue to those providing such advice about taking those circumstances into account.

Lord Tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the percentage of clients who had received debt management advice who successfully proceeded to the implementation of their chosen solution in each year since 2010.

Lord Tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, for each year since 2010, what assessment they have made of the percentage of clients who, once they have received debt management advice and successfully proceeded to implementation, have required further debt management advice in the same financial year.

Lord Tunnicliffe: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria they use to analyse the effectiveness of debt management advice.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: These questions have been passed on to the Money Advice Service (MAS). MAS will reply to directly to the Noble Lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Carbon Sequestration: Finance

Lord Whitty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they removed the £1 billion funding of carbon capture and storage, as announced to the London Stock Exchange on 25 November 2015; and how they plan to ensure the advance of that technology in the future.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Government believes Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has the potential to play an important role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK. The Department’s Annual Report & Accounts for 2015-16 will be published in June 2016 and will review the work of the Department, including the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage in 2015-16. The Budget for the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage for 2015-16 is £41.3 million.

Fracking: Expenditure

Baroness Featherstone: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much money they have spent in this Parliamentary Session on support for fracking activities.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer my Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change gave to the hon. Member for Huddersfield on 21 January 2016 to House of Commons Parliamentary Question 22696.

Cabinet Office

Young People

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many 18 to 21-year olds in England are (1) in full-time education, and (a) employed, (b) unemployed, and (c) economically inactive, and (2) not in full-time education and (a) employed, (b) unemployed, and (c) economically inactive.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



Referral Letter
(PDF Document, 77.39 KB)

UK Membership of EU: Referendums

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether charities in receipt of donations from the Government, or other public institutions and bodies financed wholly or partly by taxpayers, will be debarred from campaigning in the EU referendum.

Lord Bridges of Headley: Under charity law, political activity by charities is subject to strict rules. In addition, there is a prohibition, in the 28 days ending with the referendum, on certain publications relating to the referendum by bodies whose expenses are met wholly or mainly out of public funds.

Church and State

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to set up a commission to look at the question of the disestablishment of the Church of England, in the light of the communiqué from Anglican Primates about homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Government has no plans to set up such a commission.

EU Nationals: Northern Ireland

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people from other EU countries have been admitted to (1) work, and (2) live, in Northern Ireland in each year since 2010.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



Referral Letter
(PDF Document, 71.09 KB)

Department of Health

Artificial Insemination

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the public policy implications arising from the recent reports that one 41-year old man has fathered up to 800 children by providing his gametes to women seeking to become pregnant.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is taking, if any, following the reports that one 41-year old man has fathered up to 800 children by providing his gametes to women seeking to become pregnant.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will commission an assessment of the implications for the mental and physical health of children conceived through the use of sperm from prolific, unregulated donors, and whether they intend to review the regulation of sperm donation.

Lord Prior of Brampton: According to media reports, this particular case concerns private arrangements made between individual women seeking sperm for home insemination and the man providing the sperm. There is no third party involved. Such private arrangements between a man and a woman are not regulated. We understand that there is also no evidence to support the claim of up to 800 children having been born. It is important that women seeking sperm donation treatment fully understand the benefits of using clinics licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Tomography

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish a progress report on the 10-year PET-CT NHS England contract awarded to Alliance Medical in January 2015.

Lord Prior of Brampton: NHS England has put in place robust governance arrangements to support the national positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET CT) contract, including regular reviews of the national contract, to ensure that services are commenced as planned, securing significant benefits for patients. As the contract was not fully mobilised until December 2015, NHS England plans to review the progress made over the first year in April 2016 and would be happy to make this report available.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce fluoride into the water of the North West of England.

Lord Prior of Brampton: There are currently water fluoridation schemes in the North West of England serving parts of Cumbria and Cheshire.It has been the policy of successive governments that decisions on water fluoridation are best taken locally. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 gave powers to upper tier and unitary local authorities to make proposals in relation to fluoridation.

Nurses

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on safe staffing levels for qualified nurses in the NHS and other health and care establishments subject to Care Quality Commission or Monitor inspections.

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the evidential base to support their current policy on safe staffing levels for qualified nurses, and whether they will place a copy of that evidence in the Library of the House.

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the criteria for safe staffing levels for qualified nurses in (1) EU countries, (2) the US, and (3) Australia, and what discussions UK officials have had about comparing patient outcomes in those countries with those in England.

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research has been commissioned or published showing the correlation between nursing numbers and (1) patient outcomes, and (2) patient mortality, in England.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Government is committed to supporting National Health Service trusts to put in place sustained safe staffing by using their resources as effectively as possible for patients.Hospitals should be able to demonstrate that they are able to ensure safe, quality care for patients and that they are making the best use of resources. This should take account of patient acuity and dependency, time of day and local factors. It is therefore important for providers to take a rounded view, looking at staffing in a flexible way which is focused on the quality of care, patient safety and efficiency rather than just numbers and ratios of staff. The responsibility for both safe staffing and efficiency rests, as it has always done, with provider Boards. Comprehensive lists of research commissioned and published, of criteria in all European Union countries, Australia and the United States, each of which have a variety of systems in operation, and of discussions held by United Kingdom officials to compare patient outcomes in those countries with outcomes in England, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, the 2013 National Quality Board (NQB) guidance on safe staffing issued in 2013 How to ensure the right people, with the right skills, are in the right place at the right time: A guide to nursing, midwifery and care staffing capacity and capability, referred to a number of sources of evidence on this issue. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) safe staffing guideline Safe staffing for nursing in adult inpatient wards in acute hospitals, July 2014 set out the evidence and expert papers, including international evidence, that was considered in preparing the guideline. A copy of the NQB guidance and the NICE guideline are attached. In addition, The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) commissions research evidence to improve the quality, accessibility and organisation of health services through the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme. Current research of particular relevance to the relationship between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes and mortality includes: - a study on nurse staffing levels, missed vital signs observations and mortality in hospital wards; and - a study on the future of 24/7 care: investigating the links between staffing levels, patient access and inequalities in health outcomes. As announced by the Secretary of State on 16 July 2015, Dr Mike Durkin, National Director for Patient Safety, is working with the Chief Nursing Officer to complete the work started by NICE on safe staffing levels. Their work will draw on evidence and expert advice from England and internationally, and will be reviewed independently by NICE, the Chief Inspector of hospitals, and Sir Robert Francis to ensure it meets the high standards of care the NHS aspires to.The programme includes revision of the NQB 2013 guidance to take account of further developments in the evidence base, the need to look beyond acute settings, new models of care leading from the Five Year Forward View and the need for providers to secure both safe staffing and greater efficiency. 



National Quality Board safe staffing guidance
(PDF Document, 7.65 MB)




NICE safe staffing guidance
(PDF Document, 190.58 KB)

Learning Disability: Mortality Rates

Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will link GP registers of people with learning disabilities and ONS mortality data to enable comparisons of age and cause of death between people with learning disabilities and the general population at a national level, and to measure change over time.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Department of Health is currently working with Public Health England, NHS England, the Health and Social Care Information Centre and the Learning Disability Mortality Review Programme to consider the feasibility of linking different datasets in order to compare outcomes for people with learning disabilities with the general population. This aims to help reduce inequalities and poor outcomes, including premature mortality, in people with learning disabilities.

Learning Disability: Death

Baroness Hollins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for requiring NHS Trusts to conduct reviews of deaths of people with learning disabilities as part of investigating all unexpected deaths, as suggested by the recent Mazars report, in addition to the National Learning Disabilities Mortality Review process.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The revised Serious Incident Framework published in March 2015 has sought to simplify the incident management process and ensure that serious incidents are identified correctly, investigated thoroughly and, most importantly, learned from to prevent the likelihood of similar incidents happening again. The NHS England Serious Incident Framework 2015 applies to NHS-commissioned services for those with learning disabilities. A copy is attached.



NHS England Serious Incident Framework 2015
(PDF Document, 1.38 MB)

Accident and Emergency Departments

Baroness Pinnock: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is an expectation that an area with a population of over 400,000 should be served by a fully-equipped accident and emergency service.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The detailed configuration of services is a matter for local commissioners.

Mental Health: Research

Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the importance of mental health research and its contribution to improved mental health nationally.

Lord Crisp: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the need for increased funding for the infrastructure costs associated with mental health research.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Mental health research is vital for better prevention of mental illness, development and evaluation of effective treatments, and to inform organisation and delivery of high quality care. Research funders are working together in this field to identify priorities and co-ordinate activity. In November 2015, the Department and Royal College of Psychiatrists held a joint meeting to identify key questions for mental health research. Following this meeting, funding organisations met on 6 January to discuss the strategic co-ordination of mental health research. In 2014/15, the Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) spent £27.7 million on mental health through its research programmes – expenditure higher than in any other disease area including cancer (£19.8 million). In all, the NIHR spent a total of £72.6 million on mental health research in that year, including research infrastructure and fellowships. Total NIHR investment in mental health research infrastructure (including that provided through NIHR biomedical research centres and the NIHR Clinical Research Network) has nearly doubled from £23.8 million in 2009/10 to £41.8 million in 2014/15. The NIHR has launched a new, open competition for biomedical research centre funding from April 2017 to March 2022. In this competition, a number of clinical areas of particular strategic importance to the health of patients are highlighted including mental health. The NIHR Clinical Research Network supports delivery in the National Health Service of studies funded by the NIHR itself and by eligible partners including the United Kingdom Research Councils and medical research charities. To date in 2015/16, the network has recruited 23,778 participants in 273 studies where mental health is recorded as the main specialty. The network will continue to monitor the study pipeline for mental health.

Strategic Oversight Board

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which stakeholders were invited to the first meeting of the new Strategic Oversight Board.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The invitee list for the first Strategic Oversight Board meeting which took place on 18 November 2015 is below: NameOrganisationProfessor the Lord Ara Darzi of Denham (Chair)Imperial College LondonAndrew MorrisFarr InstituteAnna BeckettCare Quality CommissionArvind MadanPrimary CareBethan GeorgeTower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning GroupCynthia ClarkPatients 4 DataDame Sally DaviesDepartment of HealthDawn MonaghanInformation Commissioner's OfficeDr Aisling BurnandAssociation of Medical Research CharitiesDr Ben GoldacreBad ScienceDr Grant IngramsBritish Medical AssociationDr Janet ValentineClinical Practice Research DatalinkDr Mike KnaptonBritish Heart FoundationEve RoodhouseHealth and Social Care Information CentreGary LeemingGreater Manchester Academic Health Science NetworkGerard Crofton-MartinHealthwatch EnglandJeremy TaylorNational VoicesJohn NewtonPublic Health EnglandKatherine RakeHealthwatch EnglandKatie FarringtonOffice of National Data GuardianLisa Harrod-RothwellNHS EnglandLouise WoodAssociation of Medical Research CharitiesNeil StutchburyMonitorNicola PerrinWellcome TrustPaul BateCare Quality CommissionProf John ApplebyThe Kings FundProf Nigel MathersRoyal College of General PractitionersProf Simon WessleyRoyal College of PsychiatristsProf Sue BaileyRoyal College of PsychiatristsRonan O'ConnorNHS EnglandRos RoughtonNHS EnglandSarah SchofieldWest Hampshire Clinical Commissioning GroupSir Bruce KeoghNHS EnglandSir Cyril ChantlerUCL PartnersSteven BlackMonitor